2013 Baseball Season/Off-Season Discussion

[Falcon]

The Yankees are getting ready to send Selig the biggest gift basket ever assembled.

You ain't kidding. I know using the CBA to ban him is opening up probably a lengthy legal battle but its probably gonna be long enough to end his career. I just worry if going this route will force a reopening of the CBA. That all depends on how willing the union is to back A-Rod and i'm thinking by now not very.

ESPN's Outside the Lines reporter TJ Quinn ‏@TJQuinnESPN (the guy who essentially broke the Biogenisis story) is tweeting ARod maybe ready to deal.

Quinn's great, extremely thorough - interacts a ton w/ fans as well.

I suspect the MLBPA maybe advising ARod to take his medicine with the promise of minimal support from them if he appeals.

In other words, he's on his own.

[Falcon]

The latest from Outside the Lines:

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/9526910/alex-rodriguez-representatives-negotiating-possible-settlement-lengthy-suspension-according-source

[tim_m]

Even if he takes a deal i think his career is finished. I don't see MLB agreeing to anything less then the rest of this year and all of next. No matter what happens it appears we'll know by the end of the day Friday.

[tim_m]

I know you are a huge Cardinals fan Falcon; but i am really rooting for the Pirates. Its been so long since they've been in this position.

[Falcon]

I know you are a huge Cardinals fan Falcon; but i am really rooting for the Pirates. Its been so long since they've been in this position.

They're playing very well that's for sure.

Love their park as well, its right there with ATT in Frisco as prettiest in the league.

That said, I hope they lose 10 in a row starting tomorrow.

[tim_m]

I know you are a huge Cardinals fan Falcon; but i am really rooting for the Pirates. Its been so long since they've been in this position.

They're playing very well that's for sure.

Love their part as well, its right there with ATT in Frisco as prettiest in the league.

That said, I hope they lose 10 in a row starting tomorrow.

Haha i understand that. Its just easy to root for them after being bad for so long.

[pilferk]

Even if he takes a deal i think his career is finished. I don't see MLB agreeing to anything less then the rest of this year and all of next. No matter what happens it appears we'll know by the end of the day Friday.

Agree.

But in one scenario, arod is an island unto himself with no friends, and little help.

In the other, he gets the resources of a huge organization who is driven to defend him and has a labor market behind it to get its point across.

And the outcome to the player is probably, functionally, the same.

Again, the other difference is that the yanks are on the hook if its a 220 gamer...at least for the last few years of the deal... and off if it is lifetime.

Mike and mike are talking about how teams are ticked because the yanks could get out from under the luxury tax because of this as soon as this year...and almost certainly next year.

[tim_m]

That's completely unfair though. Its not like we put a gun to A-Rods head and said here take these illegal drugs.

[tim_m]

It now appears the feds are getting involved and are investigating Bosch and his clinic.

[pilferk]

That's completely unfair though. Its not like we put a gun to A-Rods head and said here take these illegal drugs.

Agree.

But look at showalters comments. He's not alone in that opinion, apparently.

[Falcon]

The latest from TJ Quinn and Outside The Lines

http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/9530007/sources-mlb-alex-rodriguez-far-apart-suspension-settlement?src=mobile

[Falcon]

That's completely unfair though. Its not like we put a gun to A-Rods head and said here take these illegal drugs.

Agree.

But look at showalters comments. He's not alone in that opinion, apparently.

I just got caught up with this story and I agree, it's a opinion that I believe a majority of ownerships would share.

I would not be shocked to have a ruling (at some point) having salaries of those busted still count against monies that would qualify as "taxed".

I would expect something, maybe not the exact scenario above to be implemented that doesn't "reward" a club with tax relief due to salary subtraction via suspension.

[tim_m]

The latest from TJ Quinn and Outside The Lines

http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/9530007/sources-mlb-alex-rodriguez-far-apart-suspension-settlement?src=mobile

You always beat me to posting things. How do you do that!  . If he doesn't accept an agreement by Sunday its gonna be a lifetime ban. They have to announce it all by Sunday because of the other 8 players getting 50 games. They'll just simply sit out the rest of the season. Any longer and it'll run into next season or the postseason if any of the players are on playoff bound teams.

[tim_m]

That's completely unfair though. Its not like we put a gun to A-Rods head and said here take these illegal drugs.

Agree.

But look at showalters comments. He's not alone in that opinion, apparently.

I just got caught up with this story and I agree, it's a opinion that I believe a majority of ownerships would share.

I would not be shocked to have a ruling (at some point) having salaries of those busted still count against monies that would qualify as "taxed".

I would expect something, maybe not the exact scenario above to be implemented that doesn't "reward" a club with tax relief due to salary subtraction via suspension.

Obviously i can see how they'd feel this way. Any suspension is gonna free some amount of money up for them to use. On the other hand how could they have known this would happen.

[Falcon]

On the other hand how could they have known this would happen.

There's no way to know but with every guaranteed contract comes inherent risk.

Unfortunately, drug suspensions are becoming about as inherent as a torn ACL or a blown out elbow.

[tim_m]

On the other hand how could they have known this would happen.

There's no way to know but with every guaranteed contract comes inherent risk.

Unfortunately, drug suspensions are becoming about as inherent as a torn ACL or a blown out elbow.

Sad but true. Gotta give props to MLB for seriously attempting to clean up the sport. That's more then i can say for any other sport.

[Falcon]

On the other hand how could they have known this would happen.

There's no way to know but with every guaranteed contract comes inherent risk.

Unfortunately, drug suspensions are becoming about as inherent as a torn ACL or a blown out elbow.

Sad but true. Gotta give props to MLB for seriously attempting to clean up the sport. That's more then i can say for any other sport.

At least the NFL is moving towards HGH testing, maybe they'll finally realize (wink wink) that men don't get that big, that fast etc on their own.

[tim_m]

On the other hand how could they have known this would happen.

There's no way to know but with every guaranteed contract comes inherent risk.

Unfortunately, drug suspensions are becoming about as inherent as a torn ACL or a blown out elbow.

Sad but true. Gotta give props to MLB for seriously attempting to clean up the sport. That's more then i can say for any other sport.

At least the NFL is moving towards HGH testing, maybe they'll finally realize (wink wink) that men don't get that big, that fast etc on their own.

Yeah, i can't wait for them to start and see how many are on it. The number of people on it i think will blow MLB out of the water.

[pilferk]

I just got caught up with this story and I agree, it's a opinion that I believe a majority of ownerships would share.

I would not be shocked to have a ruling (at some point) having salaries of those busted still count against monies that would qualify as "taxed".

I would expect something, maybe not the exact scenario above to be implemented that doesn't "reward" a club with tax relief due to salary subtraction via suspension.

I very much doubt it.

Because you would have to get the owners to approve it.  And while some might....it's very different to throw stones at your neighbor.  It's a lot harder to allow someone else to potentially throw stones at you.

The fact is:  The money is not being paid out.  They are not getting his services.  Therefore, it shouldn't be counted against their cap.  Because you would essentially be penalizing them by taxing them twice on the same $$. Once for the suspended player...and once for the person who you potentially sign to play their position.

All over something the team has no control over, and something the team doesn't condone.  Injuries are different...they are sustained through the course and circumstance of their employment.

MLB and NFL have not implemented this when concerning players who are put in prison, for example. Obviously, the NFL is a little different because the contracts aren't guaranteed, but Vick had a portion of his contract that was, and would have counted toward the cap....and the Falcons got to drop that.   You'd have to apply it to all reasons the player was taken off the field, other than injury....and I think owners, as a whole, would balk at implementing that restriction.

They'll cry unfair, because it's the Yankees.  And then when it's layed out nice and clear in front of them, they'll have second thoughts.

Never mind the Union fighting it (because if you hold a team hostage with that cap money, they're going to spend less on the market, and thus restrict player salaries).

[GeorgeSteele]

Not sure I would agree with counting A-Rod's or any suspended player's salary against the cap.  True, the Yankees are benefitting in this case, but that's only because A-Rod is not that good any more.  If this happened in 2009, they don't win a World Series and the luxury tax relief would just be cold comfort. 

Then again, if teams had the threat of a cap hit, maybe teams would be more diligent about screening for users.